have any of you ever converted a four-bolt fender-style heel to a five-bolt contoured heel? i really like the improved access, it *seems* like it wouldn't be that big a deal, just shaving a corner off the body and plugging/redrilling holes in the body and neck. i'm not worried about refinishing so it looks pro if someone other than me happens to be standing behind it. thoughts?
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contoured heel conversion?
- Thread starter kevrex
- Start date
I don't see any technical or engineering problem with doing that. You don't even have to go to five screws. Keep three of the four existing screws where they are, and just move the one back a half inch. Round off and blend the body and neck. Make up a new neck plate or modify the existing one to fit.
My late buddy Mike Lipe built several thousand guitars and basses with a staggered four-screw pattern like that. Not a single one has ever exploded.
Ah, cutting the corner is fine.
I came in here to recommend NOT shaving the heel thickness. Dealing with different length screws a huge pain. The two nearer the headstock need to be shorter than standard, or they'll go through the fretboard.
It's really easy to grab the wrong screw when reinstalling the neck.
As an example, here's a bass I sold that has Warmoth's contoured heel. 72 PJ
FWIW, AllParts makes the proper shorter screws.
I came in here to recommend NOT shaving the heel thickness. Dealing with different length screws a huge pain. The two nearer the headstock need to be shorter than standard, or they'll go through the fretboard.
It's really easy to grab the wrong screw when reinstalling the neck.As an example, here's a bass I sold that has Warmoth's contoured heel. 72 PJ
FWIW, AllParts makes the proper shorter screws.
I did this as well as rounding the heel on my Franken fretless 6 string build. The old screw hole was removed when I rounded and beveled the heel. I've had no problem with just 4 screws.
@kevrex - If you haven’t stumbled across this thread yet, it may be of interest!
It gives a wider variety of potential approaches, but I feel like it raises some great considerations (including pros and cons) for many of them.
It gives a wider variety of potential approaches, but I feel like it raises some great considerations (including pros and cons) for many of them.
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